OCR Text |
Show Page B8 Thursday, April 7, 1988 Park Record "Bright Lights, Big City" shows addiction s 1 ' ' ' i , f I ' 1 ' " . V' 4 J ' ' " 5 I fcf . - , , ,s. '. . ' f 1 ' I 4 Mr -J """' X.? - (vyv- A .t (1 7 William Hickey makes an eccentric cameo appearance in "Bright Lights, Big City." By RON GEORG Record staff writer I would like to' say, "Taken by itself, 'Bright Lights, Big City' is a good film." Unfortunately, I can't take the film by itself, because I read the book the night before I saw it. Normally, I would try to separate the two. In this instance, however, I would recommend "Bright lights, Big City" as a multi-media experience. ex-perience. It is a short book, it only takes about two hours to read, but it has insight in-sight which couldn't be captured in a six-hour film. On the other side of the coin, a picture is worth a thousand thou-sand words, and this film presents some splendid images. The story is a sardonic second-person second-person account of a few days in a troubled young man's life. His beautiful wife has left him for a glamorous modeling career, his mother died exactly a year previously, previous-ly, and his writing career is lying dormant. Finding himself without anyone to turn to, he starts spending more and more time with Tad Allagash, a slick advertising executive who has the endurance and the luck to spend days on end partying. Fueling his all-night drinking binges with cocaine, the hero of the story begins to deteriorate. His drinking and snorting start to affect his performance as a factual verification editor at a prestigious New York City magazine. Gong Show slated for April 16 A talent Gong Show will culminate a benefit for The Counseling Institute, In-stitute, a non-profit, United Way Agency. The event will be held Saturday, April 16, at the Yarrow, beginning with a social hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. At 8:30 p.m., local and imported talent will compete against each other, and very subjective subjec-tive judges who have the option to gong the act off the stage. "We hope the evening will be so successful that the public will demand a return of the Gong Show every year," says Jim Wheeler, director of the institute. in-stitute. An ongoing silent auction, door prizes, games and lots of surprises should make this an enjoyable evening. even-ing. All funds raised will benefit The Counseling Institute which is dedicated to personal growth, the enhancement of human relations and the promotion of domestic peace. Funds will be used directly to provide counseling for those not able to afford services and to prevent child abuse and domestic violence. Written in the second person, a voice which allows the writer to create an autobiographical voice with an omniscient presence, the book is an accurate profile of a young coke fiend. The hero makes witty, insightful observations on his own addictions, but always with justification. The film, necessarily, uses the third person. Aside from a few narrative nar-rative passages, the hero is on display, he's not the speaker.The hero, played by Michael J. Fox, is also given a name in the film, Jamie Conway. To their credit, the producers of the film used the talents of Jay Mclnerney, author of the novel, to write the screenplay. Mclnerney is obviously quite aware of film's limitations, because he excludes some of the nuance he wrote into the story. However, he is also aware of film's potential. The film never hits the viewer over the head with the "drugs are bad" message. Consider-, Consider-, ing the story's setting, the New York night club scene, it would have been easy to allow it to degenerate into a Miami-Vice story about swinging New York drug abusers. Promotional spots for the film suggest sug-gest that it is a fast-paced drug adventure. In reality, it is a clean ' profile of a confused young man whose addictive personality leads him to seek easy solutions to complex com-plex problems. The solution he finds most readily available is another line. The "boli-vian "boli-vian marching powder" makes a new man of him; he feels it gives him inspiration. After each line, however, he decides he needs just one drink to calm down. He never reaches the right equilibrium, though he always feels like he's doing something. The audience, too, feels that pace; Conway seems like a productive yuppie, but he's really just spinning his tires. The film is marked by great casting and wonderful performances. perfor-mances. Fox creates his character well. He is a hip suburbanite with a personable manner, and he evokes just the right amount of sympathy. Tad Allagash, Conway's coke fiend friend, is played convincingly by Kiefer Sutherland. Allagash is a mirage. He is an ideal hedonist; he can make fun anywhere, and he never gets rumpled or hungover. Sutherland's character is seductive, but it is easy to see through his veneer. The musical score to the film is also noteworthy. Composed by Donald Fagan, who formed Steely RATINGS A snooze Double feature . material Recommended A classic 1 (! 41 Dan with Walter Becker, the score combines jazz and blues to create an urban blues style reminiscent of Steely Dan. In all, this is a good film. It can stand on its own, but the best way to experience it would be to read the book first. The film can't address the sociopathic aspects of drug addiction addic-tion like the book does, though it does a great job of showing what such an addiction can do to a person. Hayes Brothers 1 988 Jeep Cherokee Up to $2,000. Consumer Rebate or 6.8 Financing on Select Models HAYES BROTHERS BUCK M JEEP T IIAYES BROS BUICK JEEP 2280 SO. STATE, S.L.C. 1-800-662-7838 JUDGING There is always one fact more in every life of which we know nothing, therefore Jesus says, "Judge not." Oswald Chambers Pari City Community Church 401 Pari. Avenue RESTAURANT" Main Street B-10 WEEKDAYS C -11 WEEKENDS 7 SATS A WEES APPETIZERS 8c DAILY SPECIALS Friday & Saturday April 8 and 9 John Bateman 573 Main Street, Park City 649-8051 or 649-9971 A privateclub for the benefit of member and their guests HERE (MS THE DRIDE! WEDDIHG FLOWERS REGULAR FLOWERS UMTS ITT. fLORA HART HOGAH-HOLLET 040-6010 45 HILLSIDE $T950 WOW $11 5,000 r r v- , I V-'H " ----- ' t f .., . . " B .... II oil-"J lu Interest: 10.5 Terms: 30 Year Fixed Rate (7 year call) REDPDNE CONDOMINIUMS AT PARKWEST Great Recreation Amenities -Pool, Spa, Tennis, Skiing On-Site Realtor: Arline Dean 649-0378 Homeflnders Ride ParkWcst Bus from Park City to Redplne Condominiums 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. V A-1 JtJt . |